Close shot of rear of 2021 Nissan Leaf showing taillight and Zero Emission badgeiSeeCars.com recently put out a study analyzing more than 950,000 sales of used cars that were five years old, covering the period from March 2025 to February 2026. For the purposes of this article, we will determine which car has the highest rate of depreciation, based on how much of its value has been lost, which will be equal to the highest percentage recorded in the iSeeCars.com study. The car taking top honors for highest five-year depreciation is an electric vehicle, the Nissan Leaf. The Leaf has the distinction of losing 63.1% of its value over the five years since it was new. The amount of value that the Nissan Leaf lost during this five-year period was also converted into dollars, with the amount translating to $17,743. Depreciation is a double-edged sword when applied to cars. If you're the seller, you want the least amount of depreciation, meaning that you'll get a higher price when you sell your car. But if you're the buyer, the benefit of higher depreciation translates into a lower price for your automotive purchase, with used EVs being in the sweet spot. In addition to the Leaf, there were seven other EVs on the iSeeCars.com list. These include the Volkswagen ID.4, the Tesla Model S, the Tesla Model X, which was the fastest-selling used car in February 2026, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the Tesla Model Y, the Kia Niro EV, and the Hyundai Kona Electric. What else should you know about the 2021 Nissan Leaf?Front 3/4 view of 2021 Nissan LeafThe 2021 Nissan Leaf, shown above, is representative of the five-year-old vehicle that sits at the bottom of iSeeCars.com's list of cars suffering the highest depreciation. It had a starting price of $32,765 when it was new. The Leaf has gotten a reputation as an EV with the worst range, which is likely due to its standard 40 kWh battery pack that provided a measly 149 miles of EPA-estimated range on a charge. A larger battery paired with a more powerful motor providing up to 226 miles of range was available, but it increased the Leaf's price considerably. A test of the 2021 Nissan Leaf's performance that was done by Car and Driver showed that the 2021 Leaf with the larger motor and battery could pull off the 0-60 mph run in 6.8 seconds, with the quarter-mile going by in 15.4 seconds at 92 mph. Roadholding on the skidpad measured 0.76g. You should also be aware that the currently available 2026 Nissan Leaf is a much-improved EV — our review showed that it finally delivers on an old promise.In terms of what this all means for today's used car shoppers, the underlying message of the iSeeCars.com study is that used EVs are a screaming deal right now. Think about it — you can currently buy a 2021 Nissan Leaf, VW ID.4, Tesla Model S or X, or a Mustang Mach-E for between 60.8% and 63.1% off of their original price. With today's high gas prices, going electric makes more sense than ever. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.
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